Improvement in potato-diggers



. e? ggw @tutti @titi ifea ISAlAI-l SHAW, OF FOUR CORNERS, MARYLAND.

Letters .Patent No. 88,916, dated April 13, 1869; antedcted Mrz/rch 15, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-DIG-G-ERS.

To all/ahum 'it may conce-rn:

. marked thereon, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of my machine for. digging potatoes;

Figure 2 is a top view; and

Figure 3 is an end view of the same.

Similar letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

My invention consists in a combination of rollers, one above the other, and moving in opposite directions, the upper set being armed with brushes, and both sets having an intervening space between them, the space between the lower smaller than `an ordinarypotato, by means of which the dirt may be pulverized by the brushes, and the dirt separated from the potatoes, the former passing down between the lower set of rollers.

My invention further consists in the employment of a dished wheel, composed of rollers, for still further separating the dirt, at the centre of which is a hole, in which may be placed a bag, for the reception of the potatoes; or they may be received in a receptacle at the centre of said wheel, and deposited on 'ithe ground, and thus dispensewith bags.

In the accompanying drawings- F Gare the drive-wheels, which support and carry the main frame, X Y, to which is attached the plow A, for plowing up the potatoes.

B is a roller, running on the ground, which is adjustable to gauge the depth of the plow.

0 G are rotary cutters, to which motion is imparted by the belt b, (see g. 2,) passing around the pulley a and roller n. v

These cutters act in conjunction with stationary cutters, almost in contact withthem, to cut the potatorinds.

d is-an endless apron, which carries the potatoes and dirt to the rollers.

1f it is found, in practice. that the endless apron d is not effective in thoroughly carrying up the potatoes and dirt, propose to employ cleats on the apron, or hinged buckets, to more eectually and'certainly carry up the dirt and potatoes.

The lower set of rollers receive their motions all in the same direction, through the spur-wheel Z, on the drive-wheel Gr, meshing into the wheels Q, O, M, and J.

The upper set of rollers, armed with brushes, R, revolve in a direction opposite to the lower set of rollers, and are operated by the pulleys H and D, and

belt M.

The lower set of rollers are left suciently far apart to allow the dirt, pulverized by the brushes of the upper set of rollers, to pass through, while the space is not great enough to allow a small potato to pass through.

The brushes also act to throw from the spaces between the lower set of rollers any potatoes that may have lpdged therein.

The upper and lower sets of rollers maybe made in pairs, two of which will constitute one of the rollers in either the upper or lower set.

It may -be found, in practice, that stone or other obstructions may lodge in the spaces `between the lower set of rollers, and in this case, I propose to attach a lever, to be operated by 4the driver, and having an arm attached thereto,with projections enter'- ing between the rollers,`to remove stones or other obstructions which may gather between them.

A scraper (not shown in the figures) is also attacheci to the main frame, beneath the lower set of rollers, toy remove dirt or other obstructions.

The rear endoi the main frame may be raised or lowered, to allow the dirt to pass on", by means of' a pin or screw, d', passing through the bracket, adjustable in holes. (See n'g. l.)

The potatoes, together with any dirt that may not be-separated therefrom by passing through the rollers, are received upon a dished wheel, a, a rotary motion being given to the latter by a band, passing around the main axle andthe hub of theldished wheel,

or in any other suitable manner.

Thiswheel has spoked rollers, a'", which may be made to revolve by cog-gearing or otherwise, or they may be caused to revolve by the action of the rotary motion of the wheel, in conj unctiou with the weight of the potatoes and dirt uponthem.

At the centre of said wheel, or at the hub, ispan aperture, into whichithe potatoes will fall by gravity, the dish being downward.

At this aperture may be placed, if desired, a bag, to receive the potatoes, or they may be placed on the ground, or the dish may be reversed, by the action of a lever, c3, tig. 3, and the potatoes be delivered in a trough at .the circumference of the wheel.

Brushes may also be employech'in connection with the rollers of the dished wheel, and wires, crossing the dished wheel, may also be used, to carry olio any vines.

, The operation ofthe machine is as follows:

The potatoes and Adirt are plowed up, and carried, by the endless apron, between the rollers, turning in opposite directions. The dirt isl pulverized by tbe action of the rollers and brushes, and passes down beL tween the lower set of rollers, and the potatoes, with any dirt not separated from them, are carried upon the dished wheel, where any dirt left is separated, and

the potatoes are bagged, if required, or collected, as dc- 2. The dislied Wheel aff, constructed and operated scribed, at the centre or circumference of the dished substantially as set forth. Wheel, 3. The combination of the plow A, endless apron WVhztt I cla-im as my invent-ion, and desire to secure d, rollers, moving in opposite directions, and dished by Letters Patent, iswheel, substantially as described.

l. The combination ofthe two sets of rollers, oper- Witnesses: ISAIAH SHAW. ating in opposite directions, the upper set being armed EDM. F. BROWN,

with brushes, :Ls and for the purpose set forth. L. B. WATERMAN. 

